"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead..." Romans 1:20

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Submission

"Secret things belong unto God, and He only can reveal them according to His good pleasure. Our concern is with those that are revealed; and we may trust we shall be sufficiently enlightened to pursue the right way. Submission to the Divine Will in all things is our duty, and will prove the source of our greatest happiness...." --Margaret Woods, 1818

This past Saturday I attended a writer's workshop for writers who hope to have their stories for children published. Here is my manuscript ready for submission:

One of the questions the speaker asked us was, "Why do you write for children?" As I thought about it the first thing that came to mind was it's because I'm still a child at heart. The speaker suggested that we might not think our stories are worthy of being read by adults and that is why we write for children. She pointed out, however, that writing for children is not easy and we really should see it as a calling. That is why we must examine our reasons for wanting to get published. Is it because we have this need to write or because we have this need to be recognized as a published author? Because if it's the latter, it will show in our writing. She said the words "author" and "authentic" come from the same root. If we are truly to be an author our writing must be from the heart and not from the desire to be recognized for having a published book.

Margaret Woods speaks of submission to the Divine Will. It made me think of my manuscript submission to a publisher. Once the contract is signed I give up my rights to my manuscript as far as it's publication goes. They will choose the illustrator, the jacket cover, when the book comes out, and a host of other details will be their call. There are even "submission guidelines" I must follow before they will even look at my manuscript.

Is God showing me what it looks like to submit to Him? There are guidelines for submitting to Him as well. I must humble myself for starters. And once He accepts my submission I must bow to His direction, as He edits my life--removing sections that do not move my story along and adding those that do, correcting my misspellings and grammar, adding words that show instead of just tell the story that is my life. I must also be authentic if my life is to fulfill its purpose. Then if I submit to God's "guidelines" in all things, it will be the source of my greatest happiness, as Margaret Woods says, whether or not I can ever call myself a published author.

Imagine being able to know Jesus feels this way about you. Would it change your life?

Father, thank you for the story that is my life. May I live it authentically, showing others Your Love.